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Remembering D-Day June 6, 1944

Where every day is Christmas and every film a gift.

LET US USHER YOU INTO OUR HUMBLE HOUSE…

…AND WIPE YOUR FEET. THIS ISN’T A BARN!

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Welcome to Chandler Swain Reviews, or as it is more commonly known on Populist websites within the Free World, and Canada:-a film site where one may express their opinion openly without fear of intimidation, eye rolling, backstabbing, subcutaneous eruptions, hysterical paralysis, Congressional subpoenas, acid reflux, spontaneous combustion or recalcitrant quips. (OK, maybe the last, but certainly not the others.)

Fear of the rancorous atmosphere of other film websites got you down? Here at CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS, we work diligently to offer a nourishing and stimulating atmosphere, no matter how blockheaded your opinions are. Just ask any of our satisfied readers…

JONATHAN WINTERS (NOV. 11, 1925 – APRIL 11, 2013)

THIS SITE PRESENTED IN THE MODERN MIRACLE PROCESS

STILL AT POPULAR PRICES WITHOUT WAITING IN INCONVENIENT TICKET LINES. THE MOST SPECTACULAR EPIC EVER SEEN BY THE CURIOUS EYES OF CIVILIZED MAN, AND YOU ARE THERE TO EXPERIENCE ALL OF THE ANCIENT WONDERS AND FUTURISTIC SENSATIONS THAT COULD ONLY BE REVEALED TO YOU IN THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME ADVENTURE THAT IS: CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS______________________________________________DO YOU FIND OTHER MOVIE SITES LEAVE YOU COLD? Welcome to Chandler Swain Reviews, where you may indulge in your personal cinema appetites (and legal in all 50 states plus one or two counties in Ireland): sensibly portioned, reasonably priced and with validated parking, let CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS be your destination of choice in exploring the cinema firmament. (10 cent deposit required in MA, MD, VA, RI, NJ. $12 cleaning deposit required in VT, Canada and by guys with mutton chops.)

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STURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: or, Something Fishy This Way Comes

UPON ENTERING, BE PREPARED TO SURRENDER YOUR FREE WILL TO THE UNCANNY INTELLECT, THE UNSHAKEABLE FORCE OF CEREBRAL OMNIPOTENCE THAT IS CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS. KISS OLD NOTIONS OF WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW GOODBYE AND EMBRACE THE REALITY THAT YOU ARE DOOMED FROM THIS DAY FORWARD TO A LIFE OF UNENDING MINDLESS AGREEMENT WITH WHATEVER YOU READ ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES, AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER A REALM OF UNPARALLELED ARTISTIC ENLIGHTENMENT, CULTURAL DEPRAVITY AND A LIKING FOR SKITTLES, THE ALL-AMERICAN BREAKFAST CANDY.

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FOR YOUR EYES ONLY:_OFFICIAL CSR REVIEWING POLICY

All films reviewed have been previously screened (often dozens of times) in the proper theatrical setting intended by the filmmaker, in keeping with the site’s view that a film has not been properly seen unless viewed- at least once -in its natural theatrical setting. Disagree? That’s why you don’t have control over the page editing keys. But, to continue…

All films reviews, unless otherwise designated, reference the original theatrical version of the film- as God and Country intended.

All films reviewed at this site will be approached on a level critical field. Some titles which contain provocative elements are included and will be dealt with frankly in the estimation of their aesthetic or artistic values. Those films whose content may offend certain readers may be avoided by simply reading their titles and choosing not to do so. This site will never discriminate against films which might confuse, offend or outrage certain readers. The individual reader of the site must choose accordingly to their own tastes. (If this site were to limit its content on the basis of what is child-friendly, there would be no reference to “2001: A Space Odyssey”, a G rated film which if rated solely on whether it might be easily understood by the average tot, would merit an X rating.)

All films reviewed using sheer brain power made possible by being fueled with fully loaded cheeseburgers served at every critic’s favorite roadside house of yummy in Mendon, MA.
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Enter all who would regard cinema as an Art Form.H.P.Lovecraft on Art: “the ability of any one man to pin down in some permanent and intelligible medium a sort of idea of what he sees in Nature that nobody else sees. In other words, to make the other fellow grasp, through skilled selective care in interpretative reproduction or symbolism, some inkling of what only the artist himself could possibly see in the actual objective scene itself.”

“We bid you welcome. Come out of the storm, slip out of those wet galoshes and into a steaming stein of cocoa.”

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AUGUST MOVIE OF THE MONTH

OMAR SHARIF JACK PALANCE

in JOHN FRANKENHEIMER’S 1971 production of

“THE HORSEMEN“

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DON’T BE SHY, SAY “HI!”

Whether or not you enjoy your stay here at CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS, drop us a line. Let us know what’s on your mind, the good the bad and the ugly. (Just keep it clean please.) Here we are an equal opportunity, open minded forum of film thought and all perspectives are welcome and encouraged. (Except Ebertism, but there’s a vaccine for that now, isn’t there?) So, if you happen to drop in, leave a trace of your carbon footprint behind and make your ideas count. And even if you choose not to leave a comment: welcome to our little corner of the World of Cinema.

How a typical satisfied subscriber responds to CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS.

Before we proceed any further, perhaps it might help if we asked an obvious question: Just who is Chandler Swain anyway (see right) and what is his ultimate goal with this movie site? It might be important while perusing the pages of this site to keep in mind that the mindset on these pages is a fairly “old school” one, following the traditions of the Critical Mind as opposed to the easy methodology of film thought brought forth by the wave of Populism which has swept the country, and has been instrumental in bringing the American version of this most modern of art forms to its lowest creative level ever. The twofold purpose of this site is to both celebrate and excoriate (see below) the cinema form; in that the most primal entertainment values of film may be identified and encouraged, but also pursue a path of illumination on the more artistic aspects of the form. All films, regardless of commercial or artistic permutations should be given equal attention, as every single film, no matter how obscure or seemingly insignificant, contributes to the whole of the form. Since film, aside from the significant aspirations to Art, is also a commercial enterprise, an industry, it stands to reason that the commercial viability of a offensively crass and distastefully banal production may have subsequent negative influences on seemingly unrelated independent or artistically inclined enterprises. As much independence as some filmmakers would like to claim, the form- in the most commercial sense- has evolved (or devolved as some would have it) into a completely synergistic industry. Or something like that. Readers are invited to peruse and comment to their heart’s content. Contrary views are welcome as there is very little that is less stimulating than someone who always agrees with you. Original thought is encouraged, but please… no quoting of that antithesis of lucid film thought- Roger Ebert.

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The usefulness of Internet film sites cannot be underestimated, but it is a fatal mistake to think they are a substitution for published critical thought found in either book form or in the still numerous serious film journals available from around the globe. Film sites are merely another resource not an end to themselves. Similar to the incontrovertible concept of actually seeing film in an intended large screen format (regardless of the film’s vintage), it is imperative that the serious cinephiles avail themselves with as much legitimately valuable information and viewpoints on the cinematic as possible. Much of what exists on the Net, in regard to film is fan-based in origin (as is much of the existing newsstand magazine output), and while some are endearingly enthusiastic in nature, it is important for the serious cinephile to not be led by the short leash of sentimental favoritism as opposed to solid philosophic views on the Art of Cinema, based on legitimate avenues of Critical Thought and not merely the winds of nostalgic romanticism.

Much of what is written on blog sites comes from a younger generation of writers, to whom the Internet is the most natural arena of expression; and while opening the field for a more immediate arena of public communication, this extended atmosphere of filmspeak does not necessarily advance the field of criticism in its purest form, but in fact may retard it’s evolution. First of all, there is far too much regressive film experience expressed, in which the same basic films are looked at ad infinitum; usually expressing the same viewpoints which have been studied sometimes for decades. This is where inexperience rears its ugly head; in that the novice enthusiast may make critical overtures that are already well-worn but the writer is unaware of this due to a lack of comprehensive scholarly experience in the field. It is as if, instead of the professor leading the course, each student is standing in a queue for their own opportunity to express the exact same views. This, unfortunately puts critical thought at a moribund standstill.

For film criticism to retain relevance, it is imperative to move beyond the current critical stasis, to elevate the class of film criticism beyond the reductive decades long trend toward reviewing as opposed to critical enlightenment, and to discard the crutches of fatal pollutants of open critical appraisal, such as the Auteur Theory which inevitably lead to a weakened Populist viewpoint rather than the more independent, forward thinking standards of analysis characteristic of The Critical Establishment. _______________________________________________________________

CARE AND FEEDING OF CHANDLER SWAIN REVIEWS, or:How to Succeed in Negotiating This Site Without Really Trying

The first thing one must remember while visiting Chandler Swain Reviews is that it is set up more as a website rather than a blog site, therefore things are run more inefficiently and with a greater disdain for personal comfort. However, if one remembers that the lifeblood of this site is the main menu at the top of each page, one can easily negotiate the site without encountering too many highway tolls or pesky speed traps. One may notice on page sidebars, both a listing for new features (most are not “posted” as such and will have to be discovered by clever navigating of the site itself) and a list of current feature films playing on these pages. Simply travel to the pages indicated for the movie you wish to view, burn some popcorn and have a great time. All films reviewed on these pages are listed alphabetically on The Film Vault page along with the appropriate location. If there are suggestions about the site, comments or criticisms you’d like to express, feel free. It may be a global internet, but the First Amendment still applies here, and your voice has value. Ciao.

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METAMORPHOSIS EDITION: SEPT. 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, Vol. 999

Greetings cinephiles, or Fellowship of Those With Far Too Much Free Time, and welcome to this month’s edition of America’s most persistent irritant not treatable with a topical ointment: the monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, brought to you by Americans For SKITTLES, defenders of the All-American breakfast candy. In this edition we examine life through the prism of that great philosopher David Bowie, who once said “Ch-ch-ch-ch Changes…” (who knows what the rest of the song says as who can understand them kids and their devil music?), which got us here at CSR thinking that indeed life is full of changes, but not half as much as that organic sourdough bread from Whole Foods which premature to its expiration date seems to be a breeding ground for the Andromeda Strain. Nevertheless, there are an abundance of films which deal with the idea of transformation both physical and psychological and this month’s quiz turns its focus to those wonderful movies in which a drastic, and we mean DRASTIC (see how serious we are by the use of capitals?), change takes place in a main character. What doesn’t change are the quiz rules: you must correctly identify the film from which all of the following twelve images were taken. The first to successfully answer correctly will receive the fabulous CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD, a prize so invaluable that William Devane has been rumored to be divesting his entire holdings in gold, silver and real estate to horde these coveted jewels. Good luck.

Welcome back to America’s favorite waste of time and space (that’s SCIENCE 101, baby), the CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, brought to you by those wonderful folks who foil the Surgeon General’s Recommended Nutritional Daily Requirements by consuming massive quantities of SKITTLES, the All-American Breakfast Candy. It’s the middle of the Summer Vacation, the time when our nation’s dedicated educators are desperately seeking political sanctuary in any moderately friendly nation with indoor plumbing who will grant asylum from those monstrous hordes of feral, vacuous, obscenely ill-mannered and self-serving thugs that we call school age children. Yes, it’s time for teachers to fly the coop and to hope that over the Summer the numbers of the returning numbers of sixth graders will be diminished by natural occurrences (fortunate meteor showers), spontaneous combustion (more possible among Satan’s offspring than you’d think) or violations of their parole conditions. So, in the spirit of celebrating that most noble of professions (no, not film critic but you may leave your gift baskets at the door nonetheless), the humble teacher, or so the bullying union pamphlets declare in immense block letters (so you know they mean business), we dedicate this even more humble (and equally simple) edition of our monthly brainteaser. Depicted in the following sixteen photos are scenes from films which choose (for no particular reason) to have as their subject teachers and education in some form. Your job is to correctly identify all sixteen. That’s all. No hidden exams or extracurricular credits given. Being that this quiz is celebrating modern educational standards, the first six (consistent with the number of years it takes the average reader of Chandler Swain Reviews to finish high school, according to a recent WordPress actuarial) correct entrants who complete the task will be awarded the coveted (and slightly radioactive- sorry, we had a slight mishap in the School Cafeteria) CSR Culture Shock Award, seldom given, always pawnable. Good luck.

It’s time to pull out the Coppertone, ship those vile, unwanted kids off to summer camp where they’ll learn life lessons in hiking through poison ivy and the competitive thrill of dodgeball generated compound fractures, and the adherence to stubbornly retained Grammar School calendars by people who haven’t seen the inside of a school since the Truman administration. Yes, it’s Summer, that special time when dedicated parents drop their kids off at malls and movie theaters to torment others while they pamper their NPR fueled cluelessness with happy thoughts of empathizing with the impoverished people of the Third World by the possibility of sending their own demon spawn to the latest fashionable Third World hell hole during the next seasonal vacation break from school (aka, extended day care). In the spirit of globe trotting travel and leisure, we present this month’s edition of America’s favorite visual laxative The Monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, now celebrating its fifty seventh consecutive year by the makers of SKITTLES, the All-American breakfast alternative to World Cup soccer. In this edition, we dive head first into the empty pool (ouch) of the world of filmed vacations, a world free from that hillbilly clown car full of moonshine children and goats who always seem to be bouncing off the adjacent wall to your room at Motel 6. Your quest, as always, is to identify the twelve films from which the following still are taken. As always- to keep the eyes on the Prize -at stake is the coveted CSR Culture Shock Award, designation as a third alternative for Miss Delaware and free passes to the next Michael Bay film which is designated Best Picture of the Year by the National Society of Film Critics. Good luck.

Welcome to another edition of the monthly Classic Film Images quiz. Today we are doing a bit of Spring cleaning by shaking out the cobwebs, emptying the dusty boxes, disposing of the occasional carelessly buried cadaver in temporary graves far too shallow to support the rainy season., which also brings us to this month’s Classic Film Images Quiz challenge. (Brought to you by SKITTLES, the All-American breakfast candy preferred 2-to-1 by those who vanquish their enemies from the safety of an underground lair.) In this edition, not only is your thinking cap required, but your powers of perception and precognition (have your credit card numbers ready, please). The following twelve film images are from movies which we are contemplating writing about sometime in the near future. In other words, it is up to you to pick our brains (none of which will be admissible in a court of law) and only then will you be capable to solve that greatest of mysteries: the identity of the twelve films from which these images are drawn. Given that this month’s edition of the Quiz lacks the fundamental theme by which all of the other challenges have enjoyed, one might suppose we might provide a few helpful hints or, at least, up the ante as to what we might entice your efforts by way of a really valuable prize. Well, forget that concept, Miss Cleo. As usual, the only enticement is the possible claim to fame as having defeated the world’s most obscurely illegitimate film contest and (here it comes) the awarding of the CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD, for which entire empires have fought and died. The first to correctly identify all twelve images will enjoy the award and the basking in the glow of celebrity which naturally follows such an esteemed victory. Good luck.

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MOTHER WAS A ROLLING STONE: MAY 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 214

Without falling into an Oedipal abyss, one of the shared characteristics of both America as a nation and the cinema as a universal cultural voice is the celebratory manner in which Motherhood is placed on a lofty pedestal usually reserved for those rare other examples of beloved institutions worthy of unbridled devotion such as steroid infused jocks and serial A-List felons/actors who spend double the time in avoiding rehab and parole officers as snoring through their performances. The movies have always been a special arena in which mothers are celebrated at the loving givers of Life, the nurturers of the young, the backbone of the family unit; quite disregarding the campaign of terror their rabid progeny inflict upon every coffee house where Chandler Swain Reviews attempts a bit of caffeine infused quiet time to compose unread and unappealing mental dribbles that flow naturally from a harmonious brat-free environment. (When is that silly Seattle-based coffee bean consortium going to follow the numerous suggestions for the Fat-Free Chloroform Mocha Frappuccino for the kiddie’s menu?) So with this exaltation of mindless cultural honoraria and familial subservience in mind, we bring you the latest in a long line of wasteful, unnecessary and environmentally unfriendly competitions, known in the Old World as The Black Plague, but in modern times as the Monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, brought to you by those happy folks who keep the economy alive by hording Skittles, the All-American bomb shelter candy. In this episode, your task is to correctly identify the films from which all sixteen photos are sourced, each being a film which is either a direct celebration of dear old Mom, or at least containing a significant portrait of the maternal instinct at work. The first to correctly identify all sixteen will, as usual, be gifted with the incomparable CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD, the world’s preeminent indicator that the mind is a terrible thing to waste. Good luck.

Despite the resultant smoking craters, scattered casualties and ruined lives left in permanent disarray by way of recent unfortunate events- no we’re not referring to the unrest in the Ukraine, but the endurance of yet another Valentine’s Day -we persevere forward with yet another edition of America’s favorite brain teaser (if by “America” you mean the three or four bored or drunk people who stumble across this nonsense in the wee hours before the gin mills reopen): this month’s new edition of the Classic Film Images Photo Quiz, as usual brought to you by the good folks who make Skittles, America’s favorite brain food, and by those heart neighbors across the Pacific pond from the Land of the Rising Sun who brought you Pearl Harbor and then knock-off transistor radios. This month’s edition anticipates the upcoming blogathon, Sinema Cinema (memo from the Cheap and Shameless Product Placement Department: April 1 – 7 at a Chandler Swain Reviews near you) with a dozen photos from films whose erotic content or sexual theme might find expressive representation in said blogathon. However, despite this being a cursory warm-up to a later enterprise, your mission remains the same: to identify the film from which the dozen images find their genesis. Those hardy enough to complete the enterprise successfully will find themselves proud possessor of something which only perhaps modern medicine may find a cure- no, not a social disease, but the ever esteemed if only slightly less significant CSR Culture Shock Award, suitable for framing or exchanging in a ransom situation to very stupid criminals. Guess away and good luck.

“OUT, DAMNED SPOUSE!”:FEB. 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 121

Painful as it may be to admit, the only reason for men and women to interact is to give a boost to Jane Seymour’s post-acting career as a designer of retail baubles feeding the burden men feel in having to humor the whines of insecurity women express in commercials by assuming that men don’t appreciate their magnificence without a constant barrage of jewelry, perfumes, flowers and Caribbean sunsets with buffed young men who curiously don’t seem to be the same guy as the poor dope who initially and thoughtfully paid for the trip as he prematurely collapsed and died of the stress and overwork necessary to max out his credit card in order to keep his lady happy in the first place. Happy Valentine’s Day! Then, we must consider the bond between men and women and the inspiration it has given to such strangers to the Internet as the inimitable Bard of Avon (“How can he be taken seriously if he don’t rite 4 the ‘Net?” inquires the collective wisdom of the computer Gen.) who immortalizes the delicate bonds of innocent love (Love To Be Cherished, declares the Hallmark Card Co. as long as you cough up $3.95 to $12.95 per heartbeat of romantic pining.) in such three hanky tearjerkers as “Romeo and Juliet”, “Macbeth” and “Othello”. The heart may soar with melodies from Cupid’s songbook, but perhaps a more useful application of practical survival skills might be employed in heeding the warning: “Get thee to a nunnery.” The heart goes pit-a-pat. With these appropriately misanthropic holiday ruminations in mind (brought to you by Skittles the All-American Candy of Romance), we enter into another exciting edition of the monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, celebrating males and females and…. well that’s about it. In the following fourteen movie images, it is your task to identify the films from which each photo is derived. The hardy individual who best asserts their knowledge of the battle of the sexes by identifying all fourteen films will win the coveted CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD and perhaps an additional offering under the consideration that February has been designated as truly the month to be forced to give until you’re bled dry. (HINT: Given the circumstances, the obvious choice of “Attack of the Giant Leeches” is not among the illustrated offerings.) Good luck.

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YOU’VE NEVER LOOKED BETTER, NOW THAT YOUR FACE IS PARALYZED WITH BOTOX:JANUARY 2014 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 2014

Here we are again with America’s favorite waste of time, the monthly Classic Film Images Quiz, brought to you by those good folks, the makers of Skittles, the All-American brain candy. When one thinks of Hollywood, one thinks of glamor (well…also cocaine binges, DUI arrests, two weekend marriages, narcissism, vice and depravity), but for our purposes let’s stick to the glamor stuff. In the old days- sometime before last March, I believe -keeping a stiff upper lip meant something different than today. It meant poise and cool in the face of danger, adversity or unfathomable stressful situations. Today it means collagen injections. However, happily we have the stars of the Silver Screen to lead the way (what, to the plastic surgeons?) in demonstrating shining examples of that old axiom “grace under fire”, that living and breathing (hard to do one without the other) ideal of facing the impossible with a cool head, keen eye and perfectly manageable hair. What follows are sixteen examples of the sometimes stoic, but always (well, almost) sense of calm with which the great figures of the cinema conduct themselves. A lesson to us all. An example for all Mankind. An affair to remember….(oops, went a Bridge Too Far on that one) The following sixteen images are from films which demonstrate, if not every ideal which has been promoted above, that, at least, we carry a lot of surplus material in our image archives. Your task is to put a film title to each image (and then send it to us- the contest doesn’t mean a great deal if you keep the answers to yourself). The first to correctly identify all sixteen will receive the glorious (and fat-free) CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD. Not unlike performing your patriotic duty at a voting booth during a national election, you may participate early and often. Good luck.#01 #02#03#04#05#06#07#08#09#10#11#12 #13#14#15#16

This month’s festive photo quiz has the good fortune of containing socially redeeming content (we actually have to do this every now and then to excuse the usual crap we serve up) that may actually help those who have to put up a good front when what they receive in good faith under the Xmas tree disappoints (“But gee Dad, I wanted a Camaro, not a Bonneville!”- OK, probably dated ourselves here, but you get the gist.), so let the following be an instructional guide to that good old fashioned expression we call “the poker face” (or, in some of the examples: the poker face as expressed by the inmates of the Asylum at Charenton under the direction of the Marquis de Swain), which may carry you through many bouts of selfishness and blind consumerism throughout this holiday season. This little hunk of joy has the same rules: identify all the titles of the films in the following stills, or die. (We just threw that last in there to see if you were paying attention.) The first to correctly identify all will receive the ever-popular CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD- won only three times, the last time by two-timer (with all of the connotations that may imply…ho ho ho) and long time supporter Aldora. Congrats babe. Now off with all of you, and don’t get on the bad side of mall Santa…I have it on good authority he’s packing heat.

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SINCE YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, YOU MUST HAVE HAD A LOVE AFFAIR WITH BOLOGNA:NOVEMBER 2013 CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ, VOL. 1620

Here we are, boys and girls, with another exciting edition of America’s favorite duty free brain sizzler: the Classic Film Images Quiz. In this edition, we salute those brave Pilgrims and their future casino managing compatriots who decided to bury the hatchet, smoke a peace pipe, develop a chronic respiratory ailment and have a Thanksgiving meal of berries, cornmeal, wild turkey and Nicorette. Each of the following sixteen photos is a scene from a movie in which food or drink plays a prominent part. Your assignment, as always is to correctly identify all sixteen films (a copyrighted process known as “getting them right”) and to aspire to attain the coveted CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD, only handed out two times in history, which makes it a sight more difficult to obtain than that foil covered bit of chocolate called the Nobel Peace Prize. The first to correctly solve the quiz will receive the award and the animosity of lesser mortals. Congratulations are also in order to longtime participant Aldora who correctly solved both portions of September’s quiz and thus becomes only the second to proudly display the CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD in her home, useful in frightening away kids selling Burpee Seeds for valuable prize points and gas meter readers. To the rest of you, good luck.

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IS THAT A TARANTULA IN YOUR CORSET OR ARE YOU JUST SCARED TO SEE ME?: OCTOBER CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ

Greeting boys and ghouls, once again it is time for another exciting plunge into that pit of darkness, that chasm of quaint irrelevance, that maelstrom of preposterously pitiable possession known as the Monthly Film Images Quiz. As if the prospect of yet another exercise in tedious title tail chasing weren’t enough, this month’s quiz imposes a deeper supernatural imposition (thus the imposing part of the program- pay attention!) as the number of images exhibited for your earnest, but eminently misguided, edification is 18, as counsel with leading scholars, theologians and relative theorists throughout the free world (except for Vermont, which is a totally useless place and is available for sale or rental at our Organizational Malapropism & Scheme Hatchery division in this website) has determined that a cohesion of the numbers 6, 6 and 6 is a far more palatable presentational quantity than its three digit counterpart which might upset the children, annoy the politically correct and make some smart-aleck insist we provide 666 images, which is out of the question as this is an enterprise fueled by extreme laziness and an uncertainty as to whether it’s even legal- with the government shutdown and all. Blame President Eddie Haskell, not me. As for the quiz itself, you will note the rules have not changed and that you are required to identify all 18 films pictured in the following stills; each representing a shuddery, spine-tingling horror feast, or perhaps just a bad movie that’s horrible (I forget). Once again, the pride of the title of Exceptionalism is at hand, and the first to identify (Correctly, if you please. There’s no sense of humor in the judge’s chambers.) all 18 will receive the treasured CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD, won by few (only one, actually) and coveted by even fewer. Good luck.

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HISTORY IS OLD NEWS: SEPTEMBER CLASSIC FILM IMAGES

Ah, the good old days. Plagues, extinction level meteors, worldwide armed conflicts, the career of Elizabeth Taylor. OK, so maybe the past was hideous, filled with horrific events that will disturb Mankind until the Sun burns out (Remember “X, Y and Zee”? “The Biggest Game in Town”?), but look on the bright side: tomorrow can only be worse. And so with that Hallmark sentiment in mind, its time for another meaningless episode of the Classic Film Images Quiz, brought to you by the good folks at the Smarterin U. Film School, where movie smarts are worth their weight in popcorn. This quiz is a two part puzzle in which every film depicts a significant historical event or period. Your task- and that you have chosen to apply your time to this test of brainpower, automatically demonstrates a tremendous character (good or bad remains to be determined) and a spectacular amount of free time -is to correctly identify all twelve films associated with the following photos, and (here’s the kicker) to list all of your answers in chronological order of each film’s depicted historical occurrence, from the distant past to the present. All winners will receive a passing nod and muffled whispers of jealous derision on the campus of Smarterin U. Good luck!

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AGE ISN’T A FOUR-LETTER WORD: AUGUST CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ

Despite the best efforts of the Millennials (a.k.a., the Generation Y, as in “Y do they exist?” collective) to dismiss the very existence of anyone over the age of 30 (which puts the elder of their clique against the firing squad wall…sorry kids), there have been an abundance of remarkable performances played by those eligible for the AARP. In an effort to counteract the popular wave of ageism pervading the land by those still living at their parent’s homes, this month’s Monthly Photo Quiz will feature those wonderful actors and actresses who dared to annoy the youth of the world by daring to star in a film, and not be dependent on comic book tomfoolery or CGI enhancement in order to amuse their ADHD addled minds. To further compound insult with injury, this month’s quiz will be 21 photos rather than the usual 12, so those who feel energy compromised might want to take a nap or gulp an energy drink before proceeding. As usual, the first to identify all of the following films will receive a special prize of instant gratification and the knowledge that life isn’t over at thirty (those familiar with the finale of “Wild in the Streets” will appreciate the irony of that message). Good luck. And genuflections and kudos to long-time reader quimedelivera for correctly solving the June Classic Film Images Quiz, thus becoming the first recipient of the coveted, oft imitated but never pawnable CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD. Congratulations!

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A FACE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS: JULY CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ

During this month of mindless summer entertainment, it would be a good time to reflect on those glamorous images of yesteryear, those faces that filled the silver screen and our collective imaginations and helped us forget the jabbering idiots across the aisle, or the imbecile kicking your seat behind you, or that glandular specimen sitting directly in front of you not simply satisfied with being eight feet tall, but also wearing an Australian bush hat. So, as your air conditioner browns out, simply divert yourself by identifying all twelve of the following films. Winners will receive nothing but a secret, misplaced pride and two tickets to the next Kansas City Athletics World Series Game 7. Good luck.

#1:

#2:

#3:

#4:

#5:

#6:

#7:

#8:

#9:

#10:

#11:

#12: ________________________________________________________________

PORTRAIT OF A PHOTO AS A TRIVIALITY: JUNE CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ: THE SOLUTIONS

June is the month of Joyce. James Joyce. Actually, any month is a time for good reading, but the pressure of coming up with new and interesting photo categories is really getting grating and if you weren’t so damn demanding and just mind your own business, I wouldn’t have to go through this Hell of….oh, uh, never mind. This month’s quiz involves a bit o’ the old stream of consciousness favored by avant-garde writers and publishers with very sloppy punctuation checks. The last word of each title will be the first word of the next, until it all forms one long sentence that won’t make any sense, but neither does much of Joyce, so… The first to correctly identify all of the titles will receive a hardy “Why?” and the reputation as someone who has far too much free time. Good luck! THIS JUNE CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ WAS SOLVED BY LOYAL READER AND CINEMA BRAINIAC quimedelivera WHO IS THE PROUD (a.k.a. INVOLUNTARY) RECIPIENT OF THE PRICELESS RELIC KNOWN AS THE CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD. CONGRATULATIONS ON A FINE EFFORT AND A LIFE WELL SPENT.

May being the month of Memorial Day, let us expand the concept of remembrance and include all biographical films in comprising this month’s film photo quiz in which you are once again asked to identify the following twelve stills, only this time, in keeping with our inflationary times, there are three parts to the puzzle. All willing are expected to (1) name the film, (2) name the subject character of the film and (3) name the actor who plays that subject. As usual, all correct entries will be scrutinized by our crack staff of scholars from the hallowed halls of the Smarterin U. Film School. Anyone who correctly identifies all thirty six portions of the puzzle will achieve fame, fortune and a sense of superiority to all Mankind, though somewhere else. Here, if you’re lucky, you might get a shrug and an almost sincere “well done, I suppose.”

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!: JANUARY CLASSIC FILM IMAGES/ THE SOLUTIONS

With Winter nipping at the heels there seems no better time to recall those great films in which snow, ice and snugglin’ with a spiked mug of cocoa inspired holiday cheer and depressed fourth quarter retail sales numbers. (Sorry Jordan Marsh, but no one really wanted the exclusive set of macrame luggage.) Your goal is to get out of that pesky nor’easter, dust off the frostbite and join Al Gore’s “no I wasn’t wrong about global warming- that’s a warm blizzard out there” cult by identifying all twelve of the following cinema images; films that take place in or feature important sequences in snow and ice. Good luck, and remember…when throwing a snowball at the landlord, don’t forget the cue ball in the center, for balance and a more accurate toss.

#1 DOWNHILL RACER

#2 LETTER NEVER SENT

#3 THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD

#4 QUINTET

#5 THE WHITE HELL OF PITZ PALU

#6 SMILLA’S SENSE OF SNOW

#7 THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS

#8 THE SHINING

#9 ALEXANDER NEVSKY

#10 A SIMPLE PLAN

#11 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

#12 WHERE EAGLES DARE

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OCTOBER CLASSIC FILM IMAGES: FOR GUYS AND GHOULS OF ALL AGES/THE SOLUTIONS

October, bringing the annual season of Halloween, witches, warlocks and nausea inducing candy corn, is a perfect time to slide down the secret staircase bannister to the bubbling cauldron of Memory Lame and relive the glorious moments which terrified and made you watch a film from underneath a blanket or eye covering fingers. You assignment is to identify all 13 of the spooky films from which the following hallucinations emanate. As always, the winners of such an enterprise will receive boxes of raisins, cans of mushroom pieces, a soggy bag of coffee grounds and anything else we here at CSR can extract from the depths of our cupboards to fill your Halloween bags with the rich aroma of an off season room at our favorite Cornwall castle equipped with ghostly apparitions and decaying nests of vole.

#1 THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS

#2 NIGHT OF THE DEMON/CURSE OF THE DEMON

#3 VIY

#4 MARK OF THE DEVIL

#5 PSYCHO

#6 THE RAVEN

#7 CIRCUS OF HORRORS

#8 HAXAN

#9 REPULSION

#10 X (THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES)

#11 BLOOD FOR DRACULA (ANDY WARHOL’S DRACULA)

#12 THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES

#13 KWAIDAN

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84 Responses to WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CINEMA

I’m saddened that I don’t recognize any of the films in the June Quiz. Having said that, I would love to learn more about numbers 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. As for the earlier quizzes:

January Quiz:
1: “The Bridge on the Rive Kwai”
3: “In the Realm of the Senses”
6: “Myra Breckinridge”
8: “The Conversation”
10: “The Longest Day” (I had the good fortune to see this in a theater last month on the anniversary of D-Day. Maybe Hollywood’s last great WWII film; would love to see it admitted to the National Film Registry this year.)
11: “Black Sunday” (Frankenheimer)
12: “Princess Yang Kwei-Fei”?
13: “The Lion in Winter”?
15: “Amarcord”

That’s a pretty ambitious response you’ve put together there. To be succinct, your answers to the Jan. quiz were correct half of the time, #3, 6, 8 and 15 are on the money, whereas #1, 10, 12 and 13 are close but no cigar. However, for Nov. #1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15 and 16 are correct, while only #3, 6 and 9 are cause to stay after school. Nice work. Equally impressive are your answers for Oct. in which #3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 17 are correct where only #1, 2, 7, 15 and 16 are misses. I have written about “The Longest Day” in the past (the big screen is the only way to truly experience it…good for you) and have always found it an extraordinarily accomplished film which manages the difficult task depicting a massive widespread military operation with surprising clarity and intelligence. Perhaps its status as an “all-star” epic suggests a film that is more commercially calculated than essential, but that is certainly untrue and merely an assumption that becomes a trap for snobs or those personally unacquainted with the film. Thanks for your comments and answers..

A new fan here and surfing your stuff for the first time. Left and right frames continuous, isn’t that Joe Cotten waiting in vain for Alida Valli in the memorable finale of “The Third Man”? Dig that zither music!!

Well, welcome to the three-ring clubhouse. Yes, that is “The Third Man: and it’s funny you mentioned the zither music as I was originally planning to have that score playing over the site as people read the pages (as I always believe life should have a soundtrack album) but I never upgraded as I’m not certain it would be possible anyway, but I’m working on it. The left and right frames were just my way of making a poor substitution…so you’ve penetrated one of my many mysteries on the site. Well done!

Well, thanks, Mr. Lime. You’ve made me smile on a day when I feel so very, very crappy with the cold/bug that refuses to leave even when offered money. I don’t suppose you have any serum to help. I’m hoping one of my paperbacks will be made into a film. My ears are so clogged I can’t hear the zither music. Harry, dear fellow, please stay out of those sewers.
Holly Martens

Ah well, there’s no need to be overwhelmed, that’s what the Mercado Lounge is for. Sorry, but I don’t think it’s clam ball season as National Fish Stick Month is upon us, or will be as soon as Congress responds to my harassing letter campaign.

My answers for the September monthly quiz (short but sweet): 1) Waterloo (1970), 2) The Wind and the Lion (1975), 3) A Night to Remember (1958), 4) Apollo 13 (1995), 5) The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), 6) All the President’s Men (1976), 7) Princess Young Kwei-Fei (1955), 8) A Bridge Too Far (1977), 9) Quest for Fire (1981), 10) The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967), 11) Caligula (1979) and 12) The Hindenburg (1975)….also in regards to # 8 and 10, if they’re right, I wanted to say that I’ve deeply enjoyed viewing them especially considering the talented ensemble for both films. Thanks again Chandler for another insightful edition into your classic film quizzes and Happy Viewing!

Your response is…oops, can’t say yet as you still haven’t completed the second half of the quiz. Tsk tsk. Hurry before time expires. (Sometime around 3045 or thereabout. At 6pm. Eastern Standard time. )

Thank you for letting me know about that because I completely forgot about the second part so w/o further adieu, here’s part 2 of my answer in regards to the order in which the events occurred from oldest to today: 1) Quest for Fire (The Stone Age I believe or more than 75, 000 years ago), 2) Caligula (37-41 AD) , 3) Princess Yung Kwei-Fei (701-800 AD), 4) The Agony and the Ecstasy (1508-1512), 5) Waterloo (June 18th, 1815), 6) The Wind and the Lion (May 18th, 1904), 7) A Night to Remember (April 15th, 1912), 8) The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (February 14th, 1929), 9)The Hindenburg (May 6th, 1937), 10) A Bridge Too Far (September 17th, 1944), 11) Apollo 13 (April 11th, 1970), 12) All the President’s Men (June 17th, 1972)….I’m not very good at math, even in high school, but I did remember hearing about these historical based films in our social studies class so it gave me a good idea as to whom or what these were based on even if some were dramatized immensely, but I say that as long as you enjoy viewing the film that should only be a secondary part (it’s the love and passion of a classic film that counts).

Congratulations Aldora. For your correct solution of the September 2013 Images Quiz, you are now the proud recipient of the second CSR CULTURE SHOCK AWARD. an honor that will yield invaluable 10% discounts on future Critical Establishment “Fun With Potato Salad” Conventions, plus will bump up your membership status in the Mercado Lounge Bonus Points Program, if ever there is a time such a program might be implemented. Well done.

Hi Chandler and Buongiorno to you; first I wanted to give a huge congratulations to quimedelivera for a superb job in regards to acing June’s monthly quiz (very impressive and highly commendable) because to me it’s really great to know that there are genuine fans who deeply appreciate & respect cinema, as Chandler ingeniously stated, an art form! Now, I’d like to give my answers for August’s quiz: 1) Used People (1992) with Shirley MacLaine, 2) Nobody’s Fool (1994) with Paul Newman, 3) Tokyo Story (1953) which was inspired by one of my favorite classics Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), 4)The Whales of August (1987) with Bette Davis, 5) Cold Turkey (1971) written, produced and directed by Norman Lear, 6) Conversation Piece (1974) with Burt Lancaster, 7) Ginger and Fred (1986) with Giulietta Masina, 8) Quiz Show (1994) with Paul Scofield, 9) Ran (1985) which was Akira Kurosawa’s last epic film as a director, 10) The Ladykillers (1955) with Katie Johnson, 11) SOB (1981) which I think was also William Holden’s final film performance, 12) The Field (1990) with Richard Harris, 13) Ed Wood (1994) with Martin Landau in his Oscar winning role as Bela Lugosi, 14) Moonstruck (1987) with Olympia Dukakis, 15) Manon des Sources (1986) which was a sequel to another film from that same year Jean de Florette, 16) The Raven (1963) with Boris Karloff (huge fan of both Karloff and Edgar Allan Poe), 17) In Search of the Castaways (1962) with Maurice Chevalier and Hayley Mills, 18) The Insider (1999) with Christopher Plummer, 19) II Postino: The Postman (1994) directed by Michael Radford, 20) Prizzi’s Honor (1985) directed by John Huston and finally 21) George Burns in The Sunshine Boys (1975). Thank you once again Chandler for all of your insightful and cinematically delightful articles in regards to your profound admiration, respect, appreciation and passion for all things classic….I look forward to reading/commenting more of your posts very soon so until next time, take care and buona vision!

Perhaps, but it’s obviously free time well spent. Congratulations quimedelivera for becoming the very first winner in the modern history of the CLASSIC FILM IMAGES QUIZ. By answering all of the correct film titles to the June 2013 quiz and actually telling us about it (that’s important) you are the proud first recipient of the:

Welcome aboard Mark. I have tried several methods and sources for site illustration but the one I’ve used for a while and seems to work very well is a combination of using the YouTube Downloader HD to convert a particular clip or entire film into AVI format which is then compatible with the freeware Movie to Animated GIF Converter (available, if memory serves well at (www.evanolds.com) which not only makes pretty decent animated GIF clips but stellar still frame shots from anywhere in the downloaded material. (Strictly for critical and educational purposes, lest the copyright police be worried).

Thanks for the comment. I have been attempting to have labor legislation passed so that everyone might be afforded an hour a day just to visit my site, but so far no luck. However, the doors are always open.

Great to be back here in the salt mines again, Chandler….I’ve been busy with my 5 month old daughter Briana! Things have completely changed for me personally but not my love & passion for classic films; I’m still able to view many of Leslie Howard’s films whenever I can. In response to your January lineup featuring Let it Snow, here are my answers: #3 is The Thing from Another World which was and still is one of my favorite science fiction classics (John Carpenter’s The Thing from 1982 was deeply inspired by this 50s classic with an unaccredited direction from Howard Hawks), #4 is Paul Newman in Quintet, #7 looks like Tim Holt and Anne Baxter in The Magnificent Ambersons, #8 is The Shining (Here’s Johnny!), #10 looks like Billy Bob Thornton in A Simple Plan co-starring Bill Paxton I believe, #11 is the stellar romantic epic Dr. Zhivago with Omar Sharif, Julie Christie & Alec Guinness and finally #12 we have Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in Where Eagles Dare. Thank you again Chandler for your insightful posts because all of your articles have given a selfless awe-inspiring meaning in my cinematic existence and I hope to comment on more of them very soon; until next time take care and be on the lookout for my very first post coming soon!!

Could this be Aldora?? I kinda of thought when I had a new follower who was a “leslie howard fan” that it might be her:) Congrats on Briana. I’m sure you’re a wonderful mother. Maybe Briana’s first words will be Robert Osborne.

Hi Chandler and good evening; I hope that you won’t mind if I use my Facebook account (not that I’m a huge fan of the social media site..lol) but I just wanted to try something different; I’m still classicfilmlover782 just under a different name online. I wanted to extend my deepest thanks to you for allowing your June film article to continue the online post (much appreciated since I’ve had the unfortunate opportunity of missing it during that time period) & I only think that it’s fair that I start off my first responses with that article, so without further adieu:
1) Looks like either Gidget or A Summer Place, so instead I’m going along with Gidget which stars Sandra Dee along with Cliff Robertson
3) Definitely looks like 1977s The Deep & if I’m not mistaken, the following stars in your pic are Nick Nolte, Robert Shaw and Jacqueline Bisset (I’ve always appreciated the underrated but profound talents of Shaw, especially in films like The Sting and one of my favorites the original version of The Taking of Pelham One, Two Three with Walter Matthau & Hector Elizondo among my favorite films..I also have The Deep via Netflix as well.
5) Atlantic City with Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon
6) Blue Crush with Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez
7) Jaws with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss (one of my favorite films that truly made me NOT want to jump in the water at all)
8) Looks pretty tricky (in a good way of course) considering that there’s more than likely a few or more films into this particular series and Bijoux gave a great response with Beach Party; my only other guess would have to be Beach Blanket Bingo…it was either that or Muscle Beach Party so I opted for my first response (Beach Blanket Bingo)
10) It’s very interesting with this pic because it just so happens that there’s currently a James Bond marathon happening all in the month of July on Encore; it’s a shame that I can’t give a response to that only that I can safely say that its Sean Connery portraying the suave agent 007 (lame and predictable answer some may say, but hey I tried..lol)
11) Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation with Jimmy Stewart
and now for my July picks:
2) Yankee Doodle Dandy with Jimmy Cagney in his Oscar winning role as George Cohan
3) Looks like PT109 with Cliff Robertson and based on the true story of John F. Kennedy before he became the President of the United States..an excellent film
5) Abraham Lincoln (1930) with Walter Huston?
6) Patton with George C. Scott in the title role (another great film from one of cinema’s greats and I’ve recently seen him in Dr. Strangelove with Peter Sellers, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens and Sterling Hayden,,a wonderful classic)
10) Young Mr. Lincoln with Henry Fonda; this was where he teamed up with director John Ford and their last teaming together as director/star was Mr. Roberts
12) Sergeant York (1941) based on the life of Alvin C. York and starred Gary Cooper in his Oscar winning role as the title character
13) My final guess is Bound for Glory based on the life of Woody Guthrie and starred David Carradine along with Ronny Cox..great film.
Those are my film guesses for the months of June/July–thank you again Chandler for posting these articles and as always I deeply look forward to your future posts; take care and God bless!!

Oh if that were only true, but I fear I’m far too lazy in my writing to shame anyone but myself. If only I had your capacity to be as succinct and as insightful in my writing as you are in your pieces… well, then I’d probably feel even worse at not being more productive than I already do. I especially loved that piece on “Cromwell”.

Welcome to the sand dunes. Your answers to photos #1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 11 are correct. Incorrect on #4, 6 and 8 (wrong beach) and neither #2 nor #12 is an Italian film, though I’m sure someone in the crew probably had Italian background somewhere in their family. (Sorry, that’s the best clue I could think of.)

June really did fly by, but that could also be because when I set my clock ahead I set it fourteen days ahead. Bad planning. Anyway, you are absolutely correct on photos 3, 5, 6 (sharp pick up on that one) and 7, but you’ve picked the wrong beach with 8, so we’ll have to send out the lifeguard to rescue you.

The month truly did fly by, which means only another day or so before I have to put a new photo quiz on the page. Yikes! #2 is indeed “Topaz”, and I know it was probably lazy to put that many Hitchcock films on one quiz, but there aren’t that many opportunities to represent him, when the subjects have been horror, war or sports films… so when in Rome… Anyway, #3 is not “The Manchurian Candidate”, but another major spy film, originally written by an author who had a more recent success in the theaters. And #12 is Sidney Lumet’s “The Deadly Affair”. Nicely played quimedelivera, and always good to hear from you.

#4 is John Huston’s “The Mackintosh Man”
#8 is another Dirk Bogarde film
#12 I’m not sure about, but it looks like “From Russia with Love”. The screencaps for #1 and #3 are intriguing, but I don’t recognize them off hand.

Nicely played. #4 is indeed “The Mackintosh Man”, and though #12 isn’t “From Russia With Love” (what it is is a film directed by a great late New York City director), that particular Bond film may be lurking closer than you think. As to the Bogarde film, it is a film of many titles. #1 is a 60’s spy film based on a 60’s spy TV show and #3 is a 60’s spy film based on a major bestseller. That’s it for clue time. Nice to hear from you again, quimedelivera.

Breaking News: I’ve just realized something of vital importance! #6 looks very familiar in the scene because of the one individual whose screenshot I’m seeing; It’s from the 1966 Hitchcock thriller Torn Curtain, an often underrated classic that might not have performed well in the box office but then again I feel that a truly great classic film doesn’t need the spotlight of a successful monetary gain in order for it to become a genuine classic (just my opinion) and I’ve also enjoyed seeing it also with Lila Kedrova (who could forget that face), Newman and of course Julie Andrews as his love interest. Also, I know that I’ve got #4 mixed up in regards to Paul Newman and thrillers but maybe I can rectify the situation: my only guess has to be Absence of Malice (1981) co-starring Sally Field. It’s also my only other guess since the reason why I was able to recognize Paul Newman in this one was not only because I’ve seen both of his films (of which I’ve very much enjoyed viewing), but that also I’ve learned that later on in his film career (as one ages of course) his hair took on a grayish salt & pepper look; the latter comment I express with great content of course because my father had the same color as Newman and to me that showed plenty of maturity, depth, character and intelligence (qualities that are sorely lacking in today’s society but here becomes overflowing and that I can fully appreciate). Thanks again ChandlerSwain and I also wanted to retract my comment about the quiz being too difficult (not trying to sound political, mind you); if anything, they’re a lot of fun and I’ve always deeply enjoyed the honor & privilege of answering your posts every month!!

“Torn Curtain” is correct, but unfortunately “Absence of Malice” is not. The hair aspect is actually a valuable way to go with Newman as there are distinct differences (as you pointed out) in hair coloring throughout the years. The film in question co-stars a French actress, and has a title reminiscent of English clothing. Can I be any more obscure than that? Also, don’t retract your statement on the difficulty of the quiz, it actually is. I was simply saying I thought it would probably be any easy one, but when completed I went “uh oh”. It’s a toughie, I admit. Bonus hint: the first film is a 60’s spy film based on a popular 60’s TV spy series.

WOW! First let me say that this was one of the most difficult & yet very impressive film quizzes that I’ve ever had the pleasure of answering, ChandlerSwain (in regards to the fact that I was only able to give you 3 guesses that I feel are worthy of just being…..lucky, I guess). But all kidding aside, I honestly think that I have a battle, one here for the ages (I hope that’s the correct saying). Here are my following guesses:
#5 appears to me No Way Out (1987) with Kevin Costner; it was the only movie that I’ve seen that featured him in a Navy suit (my father went to the Navy during his prime).
#4 might be The Verdict (1982) starring Paul Newman and James Mason; it’s also interesting to point out that Mason also appears in #12, but I can’t recall the picture (I know it’s him because of his eyes & other features that may seem trivial to some but not to me lol).
Finally #10 is probably one of the wildest and craziest guesses that I’ve ever done but here goes: It looks like Our Man in Havana (1959) with Alec Guinness & Burl Ives.
Well, I’ve tried my very best and as always I’m very grateful to have taken the time to post an answer or two in response to your deeply insightful quiz; it’s also wonderful to see so many classic film lovers have the awe-inspiring opportunity to view this as well, plus I’m a huge fan of espionage/spy films! Thank you for posting this, Chandler, and I do hope to have more in-depth and cinematically informative conversations with you because I’ve always viewed myself as a classic movie lover at heart…take care and God Bless!

Welcome back. This quiz actually didn’t start of as a particularly difficult one, but in the selection process, it sort of took on a life of it’s own. (Sorry.) Anyway, your identification of both #5 as “No Way Out” (a remake of “The Big Clock”) and #10 as “Our Man in Havana” are both dead on. #4, however, is not “The Verdict” but a slightly earlier Newman film. Hint: it takes place in England and is directed by a very famous (late) Academy Award winning American director. You are also correct about the other still with James Mason. Thanks very much for your enthusiastic responses to this silly little series of mine, it’s very much appreciated.

#2 looks like Hitchcock’s “Topaz” and #6 is Lila Kedrova, one of the few good things in “Torn Curtain”
#4 looks like Paul Newman but is (I assume) not “Torn Curtain”… maybe “Fat Man and Little Boy”?
#9 is “North by Northwest” (great screencap, too!)

You are absolutely correct in your identification of both “Torn Curtain” and “North by Northwest” in the May photo quiz. However, the identification of #4 (you’ve correctly surmised it is not “Torn Curtain”) is not “Fat Man and Little Boy”. Here’s a clue: the film depicted was made by a famed American director who lived outside of the United States. (Not much of a clue, I grant you, but it’s all I could come up with at the spur of the moment.) Also, Newman’s co-star was first featured in a film by Robert Bresson. Thanks for playing.

Hi ChandlerSwain. I wanted to say first that I’m very happy that other individuals like Bijoux Alexanderplatz answers your deeply insightful & informative quizzes; second, I will admit that this particular quizz has proven to be a bit difficult for me but luckily for me I’ve watched so many classics all my life it would seem that I can even memoraize the entire script by heart….just kidding. So w/o further adieu, I would like to present my guesses in regards to the following quiz for the month of April:
#2 is without a doubt The Stratton Story (1949) starring James Stewart and June Allyson; they made 3 films together including this one based on the true story of Chicago White Sox pitcher Monty Stratton. The other 2 being The Glenn Miller Story (1954) with Charles Drake and the late Harry Morgan based on the life of the iconic band leader/jazz musician Glenn Miller that also featured one of my favorite romantic theme songs of all time..Moonlight Serenade and the final film collabroation being Strategic Air Command (1955).
#3 looks like Hoosiers (1986) with Gene Hackman pictured; I loved him in The Poseidon Adventure, The Conversation and Bonnie and Clyde among my favorites..impassioned and multi-talented actor but also underrated as well.
#5 is The Great White Hope (1970) with James Earl Jones, Hal Holbrook, Moses Gunn and Jane Alexander; both Alexander and Jones recieved Oscar nods for their performances.
#6 is Fear Strikes Out (1957) with Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden pictured here that was also based on the life/career of American baseball player Jimmy Piersall.
#7 is Seabiscuit (2003) with Tobey Maguire and Chris Cooper that was loosely based on the true story of the thoroughbred who overcame incredible odds and made history.
#8 is Jim Thorpe-All American (1951) with Burt Lancaster in the title role of the great Native American athlete who won medals at the 1912 Olympics but was forced to return them.
#10 looks like Pat and Mike (1952) starring Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn and Aldo Ray.
#11…I’m going to take a stab at it and say Prefontaine (1997) with Jared Leto as American long distance runner Steve Prefontaine who died tragically at the age of 24 after a car accident on May 30th, 1975.
and finally #12 is definitely The Set-Up (1949) directed by Robert Wise; it starred Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter and Darryl Hickman…a truly great film noir boxing drama.
I’ve tried my best but I had so much fun in the process…again, thank you for posting this wondrous quiz & I’m really looking forward to May’s edition. I wonder if there’s a Leslie Howard quiz in the making..lol!
P.S. I’m really going to take a wild stab at # 4 and say Dark Hazard (1934) which was an underrated film that Edward G. Robinson starred in and didn’t get much cinematic recognition but became a great classic film to watch!

Nice going Aldora. Seven out of nine, that’s Hall of Fame status in any sport I know. A hint as to #4, as I’ve informed Mata Bijoux, it is a more difficult film to identify than the others as having only a prominent background in the sports arena as opposed to being specifically about that sport, though there is another reference to that particular film on this page. Now if could only equip this sight with audio, I’d cue up the Glen Miller for you…

1 Breaking Away
2 The Stratton Story
3 Hoosiers
4.
5 The Great White Hope
6 Fear Strikes Out
7 Seabiscuit
8 Jim Thorpe All American
9 The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings
10 Pat and Mike
11 Without Limits (at least, I think that’s billy crudup as prefontaine and not Jared Leto)
12 I have a guess for this one, but I’m not gonna risk it.

Show off. Well, that’s a perfect ten out of ten so far, which looks like it took you less time to answer than it took to put on the site. Why hesitant on #12? I’m certain if you know some of the others, you’ll know this. #4 is a ringer, far more obscure than the rest, however, a clue might be found elsewhere on the page where the film is prominently referenced.

Chandler: Along with my affinity for being a not-so-secret agent, I am absolutely crazy for films with sport themes. The only time I ever watch sporting events is during the Olympics, where I will watch any of the events except hockey or basketball. But I love movies about hockey, basketball, football, etc., etc., etc. As to my hesitation for #12, I’m embarrassed to admit that I just don’t remember his ears being that big, and was certain that I was mixing up actors/movies and would come up with the wrong guess….not that I have reason to fear a wrong guess, but I just wasn’t up for the defeat that day. I still can’t figure out 4, but I’m holding out hope for an epiphany and reading Ulysses for the inspiration to have an epiphany (that’s how those work, right??). But I did notice you have two pictures of KDunst. A fan?? Did you like Melancholia?? I’d love to hear a ChandlerSwain post regarding Von Trier.

I do like the little Dunst. I actually have an inscribed copy of “The Little Prince” from her (her favorite book- so she claims), and she seems to be an actress of enormous talents, looking for those challenging roles, wherever they may be hiding. I do plan on writing about “Melancholia” but after a piece on “Antichrist” which I think will be relegated to the Sexual Politics page rather than as an official posting.

“The usefulness of Internet film sites cannot be underestimated, but it is a fatal mistake to think they are a substitution for published critical thought found in either book form or in the still numerous serious film journals available from around the globe. Film sites are merely another resource not an end to themselves…”

Wise words. The internet has seen the rise of the “cult of the amateur”, where everyone thinks they’re a bloody expert, a leading authority on cinema. Except their “credentials” amount to a good-sized film collection, access to a computer and a penchant for hyperbole. Clever as some of these folks may be, Andre Bazin they AIN’T.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. And I certainly welcome anyone who might casually reference Andre Bazin. It seems like such an obvious thing, but I continually find myself frustrated over the amount of postings I see on the internet written by those who have no consideration that culture may have indeed existed before their day of birth.

Hello ChandlerSwain & good morning. I’ve become extremely busy with so many things (my niece’s 2nd birthday & an important engagement in regards to my fiance, but as always I’ve deeply enjoyed reading/commenting on your many cinematic and profoundly heartfelt articles)! Now for the following responses:
#3 is Topkapi (1964), an excellent heist classic film with Peter Ustinov giving a memorable Oscar winning performance as Arthur Simpson; it’s interesting to point that Ustinov played one of the film’s leading roles, but was nominated for–and won–the best supporting actor Oscar for Topkapi (one of my favorite films of his was 1978s Death on the Nile starring David Niven, Maggie Smith, Bette Davis and a multi-talented cast from the stage/silver screen.
#4 looks like The Italian Job (the 1969 original) with Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill and Rossano Brazzi; in my opinion, this classic British caper filmgives a more masterful depiction of a awe-inspiring picturesque moment from Hollywood’s Golden Age than the 2003 American remake…then again I am an old school lover at heart and for me classic films have more significance than modern interpretations!
#7 is w/o a doubt the classic film noir The Killing (1956) starring Sterling Hayden, Timothy Carey, Coleen Gray & Elisha Cook Jr; it was directed by one of my favorite and hugely inspirational directors Stanley Kubrick.
#8 I’m not too sure about the name of the movie but I do recognize the face…that has to be Marcello Mastroianni (very talented, captivating and exquisite in his craft of performing on the silver screen especially in 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita and other memorable film works).
#9 is The Hot Rock (1972) with George Segal and Robert Redford (pictured) along with Moses Gunn, Zero Mostel and Christopher Guest in his first onscreen appearance; also an important fact to point out is that Quincy Jones composed the film soundtrack for this & The Italian Job (1969) as well.
#11 looks like How to Steal a Million (1966) with Audrey Hepburn, Eli Wallach, Charles Boyer and Peter O’ Toole; Ms. Hepburn’s clothes/wardrobe was designed by the French designer Hubert de Givenchy (aka the French brand Givenchy).
Finally #12 is the silent crime film Underworld directed by Josef von Sternberg with Clive Brook and Evelyn Brent (pictured); Ben Hecht won the Academy Award for Writing (screenplay) during the very 1st Academy Awards ceremony held on May 16th, 1929 (Underworld’s character of Bull Weed portrayed by George Bancroft was modeled on the criminal ” Terrible” Tommy O’ Connor, an Irish-American mobster who gunned down Chicago Police Chief Padraig O’Neill in 1923 but escaped 3 days before his execution an was never apprehended). Thank you for providing yet another informative and incredibly insightful article ChandlerSwain; I’m looking forward to your next edition because your posts have become so much than words could ever say…to me everything that you’ve contributed here has become an indescribable enriching experience! Take care and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Wow. That is very impressive. Sorry for the delay in responding as I didn’t want anyone who hadn’t played yet to know whether you were right or not until the posting was over, though by now I think anyone who even casually glances at this page would admit that you’re ALWAYS right. Ah well, I’ll have to find some way to make it more challenging for you. Perhaps I’ll consult my brain trust of chimps who I am trying to get to type out “Hamlet” to work on the problem. They’re far more clever than I. By the way, you were right about Marcello on #8, the film being “Big Deal on Madonna Street”.

Hi ChandlerSwain & Merry Christmas to you–I must complement you on your very impressive holiday posting masterfully depicting your infinite love & passion for the classics! I also wanted to tell you that I’ve always found your cinematic conversing to be quite refreshing in all of its worth, splendor and picturesque refinement; now for the task at hand. I’d like to start out w/the ones that I’ve seen at least 2-3 times (via Fox Movie Channel and TCM, when it aired of course):

#1) Looks to me like 1947s Unconquered starring Gary Cooper (so many of his classics are my favorites), Pauletter Goddard (in my opinion an underrated but immensely talented actress along with her then husband Burgess Meredith, who was quite memorable and fascinating in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men with Lon Chaney, Jr), Boris Karloff (another personal favorite actor of mine), Ward Bond (an awe-inspiring classic film actor), Cecil Kellaway (loved him in The Postman Always Rings Twice with John Garfield, Hume Cronyn and Lana Turner), Howard Da Silva (I’ve seen him in the forgotten but masterful film gem Border Incident starring George Murphy and Ricardo Montalban and I’ve enjoyed viewing that film very much on TCM) and of course C. Aubrey Smith!
#4) Definitely Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) with Natalie Wood, Robert Culp (magnificent in the I-Spy series with Bill Cosby), Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon.

#7) One of my all time favorite films to watch of Jack Nicholson, other than The Terror with Boris Karloff & Dick Miller as well as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, is the one depicted here: Chinatown (1974) starring Faye Dunaway (she was astounding and superb in her Oscar winning perfromance via Network with William Holden and Peter Finch who won the Academy Award posthumously for his performance in the classic film satire) and John Huston.

#8) I think that this is Torrid Zone (1940) with James Cagney, Pat O’Brien and Ann Sheridan.

#9) Who could ever forget Humphrey Bogart’s Oscar winning performance in The African Queen (1951) with Katharine Hepburn, which interestingly enough turned out to be the only film that starred 2 legends of the stage/silver screen?

#10) Finally, my last guess would have to be another overlooked but emblematic film jewel is Hobson’s Choice (1954) starring Charles Laughton and Sir John Mills!
Well, these are my choices for the films selected from the list–I do hope that you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as I’m looking forward to viewing many of your wondrous and genuinely captivating articles posted here!

Merry New Year Aldora! (I think that covers all holiday festivities since you left your message)
As always I am astonished at the breadth of your comments, so full of information, enthusiasm and infinite charm. (I am so glad you’ve shown enthusiasm for “The Terror”, a much maligned almost-accident of a film that bears many hidden treasures for those who approach it with a mind unpolluted by the negative attention it’s received over the years.) Anyway, I have been hesitant to respond as I wanted to come up with a response that was worthy of your labor intensive comments, but I feel most answers would be anticlimactic, so perhaps I’ll just jump into the banality void I usually percolate in and say: “Howdy!”
Need I say that your identifying answers are all correct (as usual) and I’ll try to come up with something a bit more challenging, say a Basil Rathbone or Leslie Howard photo array that might stump you. (Just kidding, I don’t think that would be possible.) Anyway, thanks again for tuning in, and I’m hoping that inspiration will strike me more often than my usual once an eon to write something new that might be of interest. Hope all is well in the New Year. Addio.

Chandler: I must admit I’m a Hamlet fan, but I think my favorite Hamlet experience comes from a broadcast of This American Life. It was called Act V, and it chronicled the rehearsals and ultimate closing night performance of Act V of Hamlet—but the catch was that the play was conducted in a maximum security prison, hence the ability to only rehearse and perform one act at a time. The entire Act V was not performed on the program, but the interviews with the inmates were fascinating. The tagline of that particular episode was something like: Imagine a play about murderers being performed by murderers. I require my students to listen to the radio program almost every semester. You know, after thinking about Shakespeare and your mention of Theatre of Blood, I think I have inspiration for my next blog post (even though I still need to write like two or three more, but since I’m pretty sure nobody is paying much attention….!).

This sounds very interesting and I’d like to hear more, and I’d especially like to hear that program. (I always believe Shakespeare is best experienced in the performance rather than the reading, though I personally enjoy both equally.)Though my favorite of his plays is “Julius Caesar”, I am the most fascinated with “Macbeth”. (Is that a contradiction?) Probably a good deal of that comes from my procrastination of finally doing a lengthy article about Polanski’s version which I find incredibly interesting on so many levels, though I don’t believe is a particular success. (I wonder if any film could be?) Have you seen Kurosawa’s take on “Hamlet”? I think it’s far more interesting than his “Macbeth” or “King Lear” efforts.
By the way, don’t stop writing your posts! I am paying attention and I’m certain others are as well. You’re writing is too good for even the Spongebob Squareheads that occupy most of the sites to ignore. I was jumping around your articles (there are so many, I say humbled) but decided to go back to the beginning and absorb them in order so it’ll be a bit before I’m completely up to date. It’s simply a treat to have something of value to look forward to reading.

Bijoux/Nohaybanda/Bethany: (I like to think you’ve a million aliases as you are actively engaged in an international avoidance of law enforcement…it feeds my sense of adventure.) A million thanks for the link, much appreciated and I will go over the material this evening. This sounds extremely interesting and I can’t wait to dig into it. I was watching Larry King’s interview with Brando yesterday, and for the first time in my life, the man began to make sense. (Brando, not Larry King.) Is it possible my mind is expanding? If so, hopefully I’ll absorb all of this new material you’ve graciously provided before the dead grey cells counterattack and take full possession once more. -Chandler of the Apes

Hi Chandler–you have a really great site depicted selflessly here & so much heart, soul and passion is felt with that much profound intensity. I only know 2 of the films shown here and here goes: #2 definitely looks like 1963s The Great Escape w/James Garner (pictured), Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasence, James Donald, Charles Bronson and James Coburn based on a true story/actual events. #5 I’m leaning towards Glory (1989) based on another true story and stars Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington (in his Oscar winning performance as Best Supporting Actor), Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher and Bob Gunton. Thanks again for posting this and I hope to hear from you soon!
Aldora

Welcome to the salt mines Aldora. Thanks for the kind words about this site. My opinion is that it’s a product of laziness and carelessness, but your opinion sounds better. Both guesses on the photo quiz are, of course, correct. I think I put too many ringers in this one. While the writing continues to be slow in coming lately, the photo quiz changes monthly so stay tuned.

I love your piece regarding remakes. I have mixed feelings on remakes. As an idea in general, I don’t necessarily think remakes are “bad.” But maybe part of that mindset stems from my literary background. I work in an English department, and my M.A. is in British and American Literature. I’m often in the minority when talking to my work/school friends, because I do not inherently hate literary adaptations. I don’t always think that the book is better than the movie, because really, why should it have to be? Does it make one work of art (a bit hyperbolic, but it works for this example) less valid if another, perhaps even ultimately better, work of art was inspired by it? I don’t think adaptations or remakes devalue their source material, at least that’s not the case in every circumstance. I think we have to face the fact that, indeed, not everyone is like “us.” Which means that, as much as I love to read literature, including the “classics,” I know that sometimes the best way to share that classic story is through a film. And as much as I love older films, sometimes people are just too stubborn, set in their ways, or (GASP) just happy with their own preferences to want to watch older films, so remaking something would at least bring the lovely source material to a new generation, even if I personally hate the source material.
Two examples of each case: Shortly after I’d graduated high school, my then boyfriend and I decided to go to the theatre, even though we didn’t know what was showing. When we arrived, I noticed that the film “O” was there. Now, I knew “O” was a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello, so I really wanted to see it (because I actually LOVE Shakespeare adaptations, even if they are very loosely based on his material). So as my boyfriend looked at the titles, I instantly said, “Can we see ‘O’? I’ve heard it’s good.” That’s all I said. After the movie, the guy told me he really liked it a lot, so I said, “Yeah, I thought it was a really good interpretation of Othello for a younger generation.” He had no idea what I was talking about so I clarified: “Othello was a play by Shakespeare and this film is an adaptation of that play.” That’s when the truth came out. The boyfriend admitted that, had he known the film was an adaptation of Shakespeare, he wouldn’t have watched it. Was I mad at him for disgracing the Bard? Of course not! I think the story of Othello is so fascinating, so I was just glad that this film brought the tale to audiences who normally would never have read it or watched a more straightforward adaptation of it.
My second story (and pardon the lack of brevity, but I so enjoy responding to your writings): When Van Sant’s remake of Psycho was on VHS (yes, I don’t think my friends and I had DVD players just then) my friend, Krista, rented it as one of the films to watch during a typical weekend sleepover. My girlfriends and I gathered around the t.v., curled up in our blankets, refrained from the requisite sleepover giggles, and watched the remake. I had, of course, already seen the original numerous times, and I’d even gone to the theater with my parents to see the remake, but Krista had seen neither. When the end twist was revealed, Krista gasped. I remember that moment so clearly. The goosebumps and minor heart palpitations she experienced at that precise moment were no different than those I’d experienced the first time I’d watched Hitchcock’s version (which was of course already an adaptation of the novel by Robert Bloch). Was my experience “better” than Krista’s because I’d watched the Hitchcock version? Of course not.

Sure, there are remakes that make me cringe when I watch them, but I still watch them. I am not instantly opposed to a remake, even if some aspect about it bothers me from the get-go (such as remaking Let The Right One In so soon after it was released, just to save American audiences from reading subtitles—but I still watched the remake and I still liked it). And then there are remakes I look forward to, like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, because God knows that book needed something to liven it up. I don’t always “understand” why a remake is made, and there are some that I choose to avoid, and many I hate, but I think this issue, like most issues, is a complex one, not one I can escape by twisting my face in disgust and saying, “Ewwww…remakes.”

Wow, that was some response.Sorry about the slow response on this end. The article is only still half out there as I’m still trying to decipher the rest of my notes written in a haze of java induced caffeine scrawl. Much of what I was still going to focus on was the question of adaptations as a form of remake, not only literary but theatrical (including the conversion of movie to musical back to movie…oh, it’s endless). I actually find the idea of remakes currently depressing only in that at this moment I feel it accentuates the lowering of performing standards which has encased much of American cinema today. I just don’t feel the personalities being pushed by Hollywood have the stuff of actors of yesteryear. Not the maturity, nor the experience. (This is especially true on Broadway where many young performers, instead of learning their craft, appear in a blockbuster and then go back to star on stage for the “experience” when at that point all it is is a “star” turn gimmick to attract a young audience.) Naturally, I would love it if every film were totally unique and original but remakes will always be with us and they have yielded some surprising successes. One of my favorite films is Friedkin’s “Sorcerer”, his remake of Clouzot’s “Le salaire de la peur”, which I annoy many with in my opinion that it is actually superior to the original. Similarly, in Gillian Armstrong’s version of “Little Women” I find a superior rendering of Alcott (albeit with variations) than the first two versions. (And for my drive-in level interests, I actually prefer the newer “The Blob” to the original.) I don’t think the average person really cares about the subject, it is a matter for the true film enthusiast to gnash teeth over, although in some circles I think there is too much of a sense of possession inherent in the subject. Some people take it far too personally. Anyway, I always remember a favorite anecdote in which someone was speaking to James M. Cain about a film adaptation of one of his works and about what damage they’d done to his book. Cain merely gestured at the bookshelf and said (I paraphrase) “My book’s still there and it’s fine.” Smart man.
I share your enthusiasm for Shakespeare adaptations of any sort whether it’s a straight adaptation (it’s very fine to have to such distinctive versions of “Henry V” with which to mentally argue over which is better) or a “creative” inspiration (“Forbidden Planet”, “Theater of Blood”, “O”) and note with amusement that many who profess to loathe remakes are champions of Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” (first version or remake be damned, it’s loathsome movie anyway- though I think his Mel Gibson “Hamlet” very fine and prefer it to the Olivier version) discounting the many versions filmed previously. (I am of the opinion that this play is an impossible thing to stage in any medium with any success, and consider it one of the Bard’s lesser moments…but that’s just me.)
Anyway, I’ll decrypt the notes and finish the piece soon and we’ll talk more about this. (How about a remake of “The Front Page” that really sizzles? That Wilder version was horrible.)

Chandler, I only know the answers to #2: Let the Right One In, #4: Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, #5, the remake of Nosferatu, #8 The Hour of the Wolf, #9 Repulsion and #10 Eyes without a Face. Can you please, please send me the answers to the rest, as I’d love to see these films!

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Michelangelo Antonioni's neglected "Identificazione di una donna" relinquishes the metaphysical mire which had plagued the director for over a decade, and offered an introspective view of life, creation, sex and love. A film worthy of attention and serious reappraisal.

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Jane Fonda stars in Roger Vadim's 1968 outer space sex comedy, but is it worth the trip in the old Pontiac or does it crash and burn on take-off? Read the review at NITES AT THE DRIVE-IN CINEMA to find out.

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The essential 1967 Russian film "Viy" was actually the first horror film produced in the Soviet regime.

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THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : AN INTRODUCTION

What is it we seek from the Cinema? It all depends on your point of view.

For some, the movies are a source of seeking refuge from everyday existence, a release from daily tensions and anxieties. This is escapism and it has been the driving factor of the Populist attraction to the movies since the origin of the form. However, if one were to alter the view and regard film without merely the Populist limitations of escapist diversion but also as an Art Form, the perspective deepens and enters the realm of Critical Thought.

Though inconsistent in perspective, each side has validity, and is actually far more dependent on the existence of the other than would first seem possible. In a nutshell, it is a battleground between perceived verisimilitude against the aesthetic Ideal.

In formulating the foundations of The Critical Establishment,
it is necessary to understand the characteristics of each perspective, to note the seemingly contradictory similarities and disparities, and their often inextricable interconnections.

THE CRITICAL ESTABLISHMENT : The Reviewer as Vox Populi

In examining both Populist thought and Critical Thinking in Film, it is useful to define the key players in the field: the reviewers and the critics. Though seemingly cut from the same cloth, there is a world of difference. Reviewers are the professional manifestation of the Populist front; reviewers have a primary focus on entertainment value while critics evaluate under an aesthetic criteria, reviewers reward immediate gratification whereas critics seek artistry.

With the burgeoning of internet filmspeak, there is a misconception that the old model of printed press criticism is being eroded by the emergence of an equal internet critical roster. This, however, is a fallacy. One thing is for certain, even with a cursory glance at popular internet movie sites: reviewers are plentiful and genuine criticism of merit is as scarce as water in the Mojave Desert.

The reviewer will generally spend the bulk of their time reprinting the plot synopsis of a film, often almost verbatim from the printed materials of the studio. While this assists handily in filling a column, it does little to illuminate the worth of a film. The reviewer will often spend an inordinate amount of time relaying such unessential data as background gossip, "best" lists and an alarming volume of space on film finances- usually relating to either the film's budget (as if the writer had a financial stake in the enterprise) or opening weekend receipts, neither of which has the slightest bearing on the film's aesthetic achievement.

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Stephane Audran in Claude Chabrol's meditative psychological suspense film "Le boucher" virtually redefines how thrillers should be conceived, by concentrating solely on character rather than narrative, the finale of the film, rather than the standard increase in tension, achieves a far more satisfying sense of personal tragedy.

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